


A Stark Family Meeting

by Neutralfan



Series: Connected Bran Stark/Meera Reed Stories [10]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationship, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Birthday, Birthday Presents, Bite, Caution, Chameleon - Freeform, Cookies, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Lizard, Minor Character Death, Modern AU, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Non-Explicit, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Relationship(s), Plotting, Secrets, Sibling Bonding, Starks vs Bolton, Tears, i think, mentioned - Freeform, no one we know and love, sibling relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:29:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24175129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neutralfan/pseuds/Neutralfan
Summary: It's the meeting we've all been waiting for; Operation get rid of Ramsey!*Spoiler*The tags references light mentions and allusions to past rape/non-con, it isn't delved into in detail, more in how it affects the characters. Please read with caution.
Relationships: Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark, Howland Reed/Jyana Reed, Jojen Reed/Arya Stark, Jon Snow/Ygritte, Meera Reed/Bran Stark, Robb Stark/Jeyne Westerling, Theon Greyjoy/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Connected Bran Stark/Meera Reed Stories [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1277456
Comments: 14
Kudos: 13





	1. The Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovely readers, I'm back, I brought multiple chapters, and a cute animal sidekick. 
> 
> (Also apologies for my last work in this series, I was using a new computer and the screen was doing funny things.... So for those of you who were able to get through it thank you. For those of you who grit your teeth, I'm going back to fix it up and make it pertdy.)

Bran was eating his lunch at his desk again. He would have prefered to eat out in the bright summer sunlight, but his team was behind schedule and it seemed he was the only one who cared about it. He’d hated group projects in school and he didn’t much like them any better now that his job depended on one. When he’d first gotten there he’d been a solo act, only to get shunted into a group around Valentines day this year. 

There hadn’t been any problems at first but as time went on he started to think about updating his resume so that he could start looking for work elsewhere. 

It wasn’t the work itself, he just didn’t like being the one who had to do the lion’s share for a gaggle of older people who thought that he’d been placed there as a token young person. Only three of his teammates seemed to treat him as his job indicated he should be, but the rest simply thought his best work was when they sent him to the coffee machine. 

Bran gave a start when he heard his phone whirring, the Tardis landing sound indicated a new text message. Reaching out he picked it up to see that he’d been added to a group text by a number that he didn’t know. 

‘Bran, Robb changed his number,’ came in from Theon’s number with too many exclamation points than were strictly necessary. 

‘Is that who added me,’ Bran asked, taking his focus off his work to check and see who was in the group chat thinking that he might need to mute the chat in order to get back to work when his lunch was over. 

‘Yep,’ Robb texted, ‘I had to change it for important reasons, Jeyne’s is changed too fyi.’ 

He arched an eyebrow at that but decided to not ask about it, Rickon on the other hand did, two which Robb replied, ‘later, we need to sync up our schedules so we can get together.’ 

‘Party!’ Theon texted with a lot of emojis. Bran shook his head and mentally thanked whoever was looking out for him when Jon sent a series of stern looking emoticons back at him. 

‘I have to be in the air in five, cut to the point.’ Arya said, prompting Bran to smile. She’d been busy with summer ferrying jobs, flying planes from one country to another or private parties to their summer vacation spots. She wasn’t going to have time for buffoonery. 

‘We need to talk about the creature that Sansa thinks is going to turn into a prince when she marries it.’ 

Ah, really he should have seen that coming when Sansa’s number wasn’t in the chat group. 

‘I’m thinking sometime this weekend seeing as we all have jobs.’ 

‘I’m free,’ came from both Jon and Theon. 

‘I have a date in the evening on Saturday,’ Rickon said. 

‘Both days’, Arya said, ‘I’m free most of Saturday. Waiting for a client to be ready to leave.’ 

‘Saturday,’ Rickon said, ‘I’ll need someone to drive me though, I don’t get my car until next month.’ 

Bran smiled, their parents didn’t just hand them a car, they loaned it to them to learn on and then you had to pay for it in increments, Rickon had been working really hard for it ever since he was twelve. Bran hadn’t wanted the car so had saved up for the deposit on his apartment instead. 

He could also see a problem though, if the meeting was on Saturday then that would cut into the plans he had for Meera’s birthday. Which was Saturday. But he could make it work as the only person who knew about his plans at this point was Jojen. 

‘Saturday is Meera’s birthday, I can make it work but will be close.’ 

There was a pause in the communication, Bran guessed that there was another chat going on between the older three. 

‘You could skype in,’ Arya said, ‘gotta fly, will let you know what I think when I land.’ 

‘Don’t let your arms get tired,’ Robb said, before speaking to Bran, ‘you could call in, or we could do a different date.’

‘Yeah don’t miss her b-day.’ Theon wrote next. 

‘Theon’s speaking from experience,’ Jon chimed in. 

‘Bran, I’ll get back to you,’ Robb said, ‘text me when you get off work.’ 

Bran sighed and muted the conversation as it delved into Jon and Rick teasing Theon. It was back to work for him, and an e-mail from one of his team members asking how something really technical needed to be done that he hadn’t even trained in. He really should have gone into IT instead of technical engineering. 

Bran kicked his door shut even though he didn’t need to. His phone had been going off ever since he’d gotten to his floor and his hands were full of shopping that he had finished up after work. It was Arya’s ringtone. Which was giving him an urgent vibe to answer as soon as possible.

He’d already fielded a call from Robb, who had found the perfect meeting place with it only being an hour away from him and came highly recommended by their Dad. He now had another sibling to deal with, he answered the phone.

“Hey, are your arms tired?” 

“I don’t need this right now,” she sounded tired and cross. 

“What’s up?” She didn’t reply right away, he couldn’t tell if it was because of the joke he’d made or if she was just tired. 

“I think I might be in a little bit of trouble.” 

“What kind of trouble?” Another lengthy pause lapsed as Bran switched the phone to speaker so that he could put away his shopping, half of which was for the birthday dinner that he was planning for Meera. He had been watching youtube tutorials on the meal that he wanted to make and was confident that he could pull it off. He was in the process of putting away a jar of sauce into a cabinet when Arya replied. 

“I think I’m pregnant.” 

Bran couldn’t tell if he’d dropped the jar or if the cabinet door that hit his hand knocked it out of his hands. But either way it made a loud bang when it hit the counter, thankfully it was a thick jar and hadn’t shattered all over the counter. 

“Bran?” 

“I’m here,” he said, his voice cracking at an embarrassing pitch, “are you sure?” 

“Three pregnancy tests and continuous nausea sure, I’ve yet to see my doctor about it.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” He asked, leaning on the counter. 

“I-I didn’t know who else to talk to, Everyone else would be freaking out by now and you’re just talking at a slightly higher pitch than is normal. You’re the one who got the level head in this family.” 

“Could you have told the Dad,” this time when she didn’t answer right away he got concerned, “Arya, don’t tell me that the baby is Gendry’s.” 

“No,” she said, loudly, “no it’s Jojen’s but you can’t tell him ok? I don’t know how he’d feel about this.” 

Bran was rubbing his eyes feeling a headache brewing behind them, now he knew how Jojen felt, and Arya didn’t even live with him. “You don’t know- I’m not having this conversation with my older sister,” he said, “what are you going to do?” 

“That’s why I called you, I don’t know.” 

“I don’t either, I’ve never had this problem to worry about, I’m a nerd remember.” 

“Oh please, you to date are the only one of us who has been able to have our partner sleep in their room while not being married to them. You’re gonna try and tell me that you haven’t thought about this?” 

Bran swallowed, “this is why sex lives should be privet.” 

“Prude.” 

“Nuisance,” he shot back at her before she sighed. 

“I’ll decide what I’m doing when I get back home next week.” 

“Good.” 

“Please don’t tell anyone.” 

He could hear the desperation in her voice, she was scared something that up to this point he had never heard his sister being in his life. But then he could understand, having this looming uncertainty in front of you was scarry. 

“Alright, talk to you later?” 

“Yeah, gotta fly.”

Bran ran his hand through his hair, he could be an uncle again, Jon’s little girl was a gem within their family, and now Arya was pregnant with his girlfriend’s brother’s baby. It sounded like some soap opera plot that his Aunt would watch. He didn’t know what to think, head spinning he decided the best course of action was to continue putting things away. 

He was just finishing up with his task and thinking that a nice kettle of tea would do wonders for his nerves, his phone rang again. With a sigh he answered it, not bothering to look at who was calling. 

“Bran, are you busy?” 

He smiled at the sound of Meera’s voice, “not really I was about to put a kettle on, whats up?” 

“I was just wondering if you were making plans for Saturday? I know it’s a bit presumptuous of me to think that you would but, I have a bit of an issue with scheduling.” 

“Oh, I was hoping we could do dinner but if there’s a problem, I could call off my morning plans and we could have brunch or-” he left the sentence hanging.

“I-I have to go to a parole hearing Saturday afternoon.” 

“What, why?” He was confused, she had never even gotten a noise complaint filed that he knew of, he had to think for a while longer not even realizing that Meera hadn’t answered his question. It took him a few minutes to realize that she just might be going to deal with a monster, to protest it’s hearing. A cold sweat replaced the wound up nerves he’d had from his conversation with Arya. 

“You don’t need to answer that, I just figured it out.” He could hear her sigh on the other end of the line. 

“Yeah, we only just found out about it, they were trying to sneak it under the radar.” 

“Do you want me to come, as moral support?” 

“No,” the word was said so sharply he pulled the phone away from his ear on instinct. She’d never talked to him that way before, he didn’t have a placement for it but she wasn’t angry, when she was angry she had a calm tone that scared him.

“I don’t want him to know you exist,” she said, much calmer now, “I don’t want you touched by this.” 

But it might one day, he might be very responsible for this if their relationship kept going the way they both seemed to be wanting it to, even if it was slow going. If they ended up married, or in a long term committed relationship like Jon and Ygritte were, he would feel it was his duty to protect her, whether that was by shielding her or backing her up. His parents had shown him that marriage was a team effort, and thus far he thought that they made a good team. 

“I appreciate your wanting to do something on my birthday, but I’m not going to be much fun when this is over, my parents have even moved their plans for two weeks out.” 

“I still want you to come over if you feel up to it, even if you just fall asleep on the couch. Maybe we can talk Joj into bringing over some of your stuff and make it a sleepover.” 

Meera chuckled, “do I get to bring Osha?” 

“Only if she doesn’t make fun of my living space.” 

“I can’t guarantee that,” she paused, “I’ll give it some thought and let you know?” 

“That works.” 

“So what are your other plans that you mentioned?” 

Bran smiled, “you remember at Christmas when I told you that there would probably be a family meeting about Ramsy? Well it’s set for mid morning this Saturday.” 

“I expect a play by play at some point,” she said, sounding a little more like herself. 

Bran wished that Arya had not practically sworn him to secrecy, Meera would probably love the news, but in the end it wasn’t his news to share. In the background he could hear a male voice but not what it said. 

“Joj wants to know if you’ve heard from Arya, he hasn’t gotten any replies to his texts?”

Bran really wanted to punch his friend right now he could just see the little smirk on his face while asking the question, loving the fact that he could now get them back for all the times they’d made him the go between. 

“Yeah, I was on the phone with her just before you called, she’s flying around at the moment, I’ve lost track of where she’s at.” 

“Sounds like fun,” Meera said, “I wish I could just fly all over as my job, I’ll have to ask her about all the places she’s been next time I see her.” 

Bran smiled, “so what do you have lined up this week?”


	2. Starks at a Round Table

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Stark siblings meet up to discuss Sansa's future.

Between Arya, work, and Meera he was almost completely drained by the time Saturday rolled around. He’d just arrived at the coffee shoppe and found a parking spot, it was cute, large glass windows with coffee pictures and the shoppe name on them only cemented his opinion as he got out of his car and walked to the door. Once inside he looked around for his siblings, he found them and gave Jon a little wave to let him know he was there then got into line to get a coffee. 

When he sat down next to Rickon, he could see that someone was missing, other than Arya, Theon wasn’t there yet. But Jon was showing off pictures of two month old Rosaleigh, her red curly hair was now long enough to be put in a small bow at the top of her head, she was grinning ear to ear in all of the pictures. 

“We get it Jon, you’ve got the cutest kid,” Rickon said shaking his head, “though it’s not a fair decision, none of us have kids yet.” 

“Something you want to tell us Rick?” Robb aked, a smirk pulling at his mouth. 

“What, no I-” Jon cut him off. 

“You did say that you had a date tonight,” Jon wiggled his eyebrows, “something you’re not telling us?” 

Bran busied himself with his napkin and coffee, he didn’t want to become a target of this teasing but at the same time he could tell by Rick’s redding face that he wasn’t going to earn himself any favors if he stayed quiet. 

“Is Ary going to be able to join us?” He asked, drawing attention away from the younger Stark. 

Robb leaned back in his chair, “Yeah we’ve been waiting for the last fifteen minuets on standby, she’ll call us when she gets to the lounge.” 

Bran nodded, “have I missed anything?” 

“Nope, Robb’s been saving the best story for when Arya has called in-” Jon paused as the computer that was set up in front of the window they were sitting next to started ringing with a picture of Arya’s face on the screen. 

“What’s up losers,” she said when the connection was clear enough for her to speak. She looked pale and drawn, her face wasn’t in her fun loving state like she normally would be. 

“Whoa what happened to you?” Rickon said he had noticed her appearance too. 

“You obviously haven’t seen a mirror today,” she shot back at him. Bran snorted at the comment, but he was concerned, he couldn’t help it as he knew why she wasn’t looking her best. “I’m just tired. I'll fly in late tonight and be able to rest for a lot of weeks.” 

“A lot of weeks huh?” Robb said, giving a gentle ribbing to her. 

“Arya,” Bran said before she could take that the wrong way, “call your boyfriend, he’s bothering me during my girlfriend time asking if he’s been put on the naughty step.” 

He received a glare for his efforts, he was really more concerned for Jojen seeing as Meera was about ready to kill him as he kept interrupting their time together like he was like a love sick puppy that was trying to find it’s owner. 

“I’ll get there.” 

“Well now Robb can tell us his news,” Rickon said, returning the favor from Bran. 

“Alright I’m sure that you’re all wondering about my phone number change,” this was met with nods from everyone else, “well my mother in law decided to bombard Jeyne and my phones throughout our honeymoon, and after her shenanigans during the wedding Jeyne decided that it was time to cut her off. So we got home and changed all of our contacts, with the exception of our address and e-mail.”

“So you no longer have a mother in law problem, nice.” Arya said. 

Robb didn’t answer at first a look passed over his face that struck Bran as being one of sadness, “we would have rather had her involved, but not if she’s going to be rude and barge across every boundary line we set.” 

Jon gave a small nod, “Ygritte has had that conversation with her Dad a lot. He forgets sometimes.” 

“But he’s got early dementia doesn’t he?” Rob asked. 

“Alzhimers, but she still gets upset about him crossing the line.” 

Silence washed over the group for a bit, no one really having a good follow up for the somber topic. 

“On a lighter note, how’s your life been Bran,” Robb asked. 

Eight sets of eyes turned to him in anticipation of some great thesis perhaps, but his mouth was full of coffee that he promptly choked on. But then why hadn’t he seen that coming, after all Rickon had probably been thoroughly interrogated before he’d gotten there? Maybe it was just all the things he was trying not to blurt out at the moment. 

“Good, it’s been good,” he said once he’d managed to not die from the sudden question, or drip coffee all over himself. 

“Come on,” Rickon said turning his head to his older brother in an exasperated fashion, “tell us what you’ve got planned for Meera tonight.” 

“No.” 

“Please?” 

“I thought this was about Ramsey, not me?” 

“Yeah but Theon’s not here yet, entertain us,” Arya said, snapping her fingers impatiently. 

He sighed, “I don’t have too much planned, I dropped off a gift at her house and she’ll get it tonight.” 

The three oldest Starks looked at him as if he’d just told them he was going to give her a dead dog for her birthday. He wasn’t going to be telling them what was going on, Meera hadn't given him permission to do so. Though the door was still open for him to go over to her place that night if she was feeling up to it. If she wasn’t she would still get the flowers he’d bought for her, an already prepared meal, and the gift of a spa in a gift basket to help her relax. He was saving her ‘real’ gift for when he could take her out on a date. 

“We had to cancel plans, she had something come up last minute and probably won't be feeling up to celebrating tonight. I have spoiled her though, much to Jojen’s annoyance seeing as I left her a home cooked meal and told him not to eat it.” 

“Arya will have to do something about that,” Jon said before turning to the computer to wink at their sister. She didn’t say a word to Jon, seeming to take in what Bran had said instead. 

“Is someone sick,” Robb asked. He looked concerned, far from the drunk guy from a few months ago, or the one who had upset Meera at Christmas. Bran couldn’t tell if it was because the stress of the wedding was off of him, or if he’d made a real change in how he saw his younger brother. 

“No, I don’t have Meera’s permission to talk about it either.” 

“Loose lips sink ships,” everyone turned to see who had spoken, except for Arya who was unable to see the person. Theon had arrived. 

“It’s a sign of a good boyfriend to not tell his lady’s secrecrets without permission,” he went on rounding the corner of the table to sit next to Jon, “hiya Airy, what have I missed thus far?” 

“Well, you missed the wedding brunch,” Arya said. 

“Jeyne has already chewed on me about that,” Theon said, “next please.” 

“We haven’t started talking about Ramsey yet, we’ve just been catching up.” 

“You tell them about how the dragon in law tried to burn down the castle?” Theon looked at Robb. 

Robb nodded before taking control of the situation, “Jon’s kid is cute, Rick has a date, Bran doesn’t, and Arya has about reached her limit on stupid for the day. So now that you’re all caught up let's get to the point of this meeting. What does everyone think about Ramesy?” 

“He’s beneath her,” Arya said, “she’d do better if she married Severous Snape.” 

“He seems to want to try and be edgy, but just comes off as creepy.” Rickon said. 

“My wife says that if she’d met him first she’d be using the safe word at the bar.” 

“Robb when you went on your first date with Jeyne almost used the bar's safe word.” Bran said biting the inside of his lip to keep from laughing at the irony. 

“I apologized,” Robb said, giving him a look.

“Yeah that might have been my fault,” Theon said, with not a trace of an apology in his grin. 

“I don’t like him,” Jon said, “he just gives me an odd vibe.” 

“Like Joffrey?” Bran asked. 

“No, do you remember Ryan Tabot, from the football team,” he waited until Robb and Theon nodded before continuing, “he gave me the same vibe, and last year he got arrested for killing his girlfriend.” 

No one said anything, the din of the cafe filling the void that their voices had left behind. Until Jon finally spoke again, “we aren’t going to get anywhere with this are we?” 

Bran looked at his brother who seemed to come to the realization that he had, Sansa was an adult capable of making her own decisions. And the more they tried to tell her what they saw the more she would dig her heels in. She’d gotten more than her fair share of the Tully suborness gene. 

“Probably not,” he conceded, “but what are we going to do when she realizes what he is?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love it? Leave a comment, or proceed to the next chapter, or both!


	3. ILY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meera's Pov

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's where most of the warnings come in.

Meera sat in the back seat of the car, waiting for her Dad to come back from filling up the gas tank, she was exhausted. It was past lunchtime and all she wanted to do was lay down and nap until further notice. Her Mum had also made the trip with them and was sitting in the front seat looking at the map on her phone, most likely to see if there was a restaurant nearby that they could stop at that didn’t have a drive through. 

The hearing had been long and arduous for her, even though she didn’t have to give testimony again, just being within the same county as ‘it’ was enough to send her into flashbacks. They’d gotten up early, driven several hours on her birthday, just for them to give him parolle. He’d gotten a new lawyer, one who’d managed to play the ‘he was just a kid’ card to perfection. He hadn’t been a kid, he’d been an adult. Not that it mattered, they were still going to let him out at the beginning of next year. 

She just wanted to go home and pretend the world didn’t exist. 

“Meera, are you alright?” Her Mum asked. 

Meera blinked trying to think through the emptiness that she was feeling, she hadn’t felt this way since after testifying years before, “I’m not sure.” 

“Do you think you can handle a restaurant, or would you rather go home?” 

Home. She wanted her bed and maybe a long hot bath, those cookies that Osha had made for her, and Mr. Chuckles. She hadn’t gotten to the point of being angry or if she had it had come and gone without her taking notice. She just felt empty, devoid of all other emotions that she should or shouldn’t be feeling. 

“I hate this,” the words surprised her, “I just want it to stop, why is it so hard for people to see that he’s dangerous?” 

Jyanna was silent for a few seconds as if waiting for her daughter to continue, “I think it’s hard for people to understand, unless they are touched by it themselves.” 

“Bran gets it.” 

“Yes, but he’s been touched by you. He loves you and from what I’ve seen of him he’s been making an effort to learn how to support you,” Jyanna said kindly, “do you think calling him might help?” 

“I don’t want him involved,” Meera said, quietly.

“Why not? Every time I call you gush about him, how attentive he is, how kind, how dorky.” 

That pulled a chuckle from Meera as she recalled the video call Bran had made to her with his glasses perched on his head, complaining about how he had left them at work. Until she’d pointed out that they were on his head. 

“Sweety, have you realized that you're in love with him?” 

“Yes,” she whispered, “he’s already told me that he loves me and I told him at his brother's wedding, but he was asleep. Mum he snores.” 

Jyanna laughed at that, “are you willing to put up with it? Because I can speak from experience that doesn’t get better with age.” Meera joined in on the laughter just as Howland opened the door and climbed in. 

“What did I miss?” 

“Nothing dear,” Jyanna said, giving his arm a loving pat, “just girl stuff.” 

“You mean you were talking about me behind my back. Again.” He looked offended as he started the car, “so have we decided what or where we want to eat?” 

“We?” Jyanna asked, Meera could hear the smile in her voice. 

“Well considering this day is more about the two of you than me, I’m just along for the ride, or rather the chauffeur in this case.” 

“Oh you,” Jyanna gave him a playful shove. Meera watched their antics, twisting the ring Bran had given her on her finger as she did. She’d worn it as a comfort seeing as she’d turned down his multiple offers of support, she felt the need to see him or at least talk to him. 

“I really don’t care right now, just pick something I’ll eat,” Meera said as Howland put the car into drive, “I want to get home soon.” 

Her parents seemed to agree on something and the car started rolling not too long after she said that. Meera just let herself gaze out the window, pondering what her Mum had said. Maybe it was time to let Bran see another layer of herself. She picked up her phone, daring herself to jump off the ledge she’d been pretending wasn’t looming in front of her. 

They had a plan, after three hours of going back and forth over options, re-hashing ideas while trying to forge new ones. They had finally landed on something solid. Bran just hoped that they would never need to use it. 

His phone buzzed in his pocket as Theon took a ribbing over his latest whoops with his girlfriend, pulling it out he looked down to see a text from Meera. He felt his smile nearly break his cheek muscles. 

‘Hi, can you come over?’ 

“Yes. I’m an hour away but I’ll drive straight there.” 

“I’m not home yet, come this evening?” 

“Sure.” 

“Thank you, ILU.” 

Time, was that even a thing? It must be because when he looked up after what felt like seconds, to see the entire table staring at him. 

“Care to share?” Rickon asked, a look of mischief on his face. 

Bran stood up, “no, I do need to be going. It is Meera’s birthday, and we can’t all be Theon.” 

“Hey,” the man in question said, a laugh coloring his voice. 

Bran left soon after that, the thought of the three letters being a typo or an auto correct never entering his mind as he practically floated to his car. 

‘Meera loves me.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but sweet, yes? The next chapter is longer --->


	4. Laughs, tears, and siblings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read through to the end there will be a pop quiz.

“Jojen got him for me,” Meera said, holding out her new pet for Bran to see. He didn’t know what to think of the odd looking four legged creature perched on her arm, eyeing him up. He had known she loved nature but he hadn’t thought she was this into it. 

“What do you think, I’m still thinking of a name for him?”

“I-I think I have no idea what he is,” Bran wanted to smack himself. 

“He’s a Veiled chameleon, I haven’t had one since my last one died about a year before I met you, I had him for five years, adopted him from another owner who couldn’t take him with him when he moved.” 

She was a tired kind of bubbly that was just gushing about the new lizard, while it creeped him out with it’s odd toes and twitchy eyes. 

“I never would have guessed that this is the type of pet you’d go for,” he said, trying not to show that he was creeped out. 

“Isn’t he cute?” She didn’t seem to be picking up on the fact that Bran wasn’t going to be referring to the small creature that way. 

“Not as cute as his owner,” Bran said, before giving Jojen a glare at the other’s snort. 

“Aw you’re jealous,” Meera said, leaning in close to him, “I saw your gifts too and love them.” 

Meera leaned up and gave him a quick kiss, Bran was about to ask her how her day had gone when he felt a sharp pain on his arm. Looking down he saw that Meera’s adorable creature was biting him. 

“Meera-” He could honestly say that he hadn’t heard his voice raise six octives so fast. 

“Oh no buddy let go.” 

They eventually got the small lizard to release Bran’s arm, much to the amusement of Jojen who was no help at all. But he left in favor of answering a phone call as Meera put the lizard back in his enclosure. 

“You don’t like him do you,” she sighed, giving him a placating look. 

“I could learn if he’d remember that he’s not a lion.” Bran said, hoping it was true. 

Meera smiled before taking his arm and giving it a once over, “doesn’t look like he broke the skin, I think he was just scared that he was going to get squished. I should have put him back before trying to be romantic.” 

Bran chuckled, taking her hand in his, leading her to the couch, “are you good to watch a movie?” 

She smiled, “I could go for something funny or really sappy.” 

“Want me to pick,” he asked. 

Meera didn’t get a chance to respond before they saw Jojen walking towards the front door, his eyes were wide and his face was white. 

“Joj are you ok?” Meera aked. 

Bran had to bite his lip, he had a feeling he knew why his friend was looking a bit rough. 

“I’m gonna take a long drive and pick up my girlfriend,” Jojen said, very subdued from how he’d been a few minutes before, “might need her to stay for a bit.” 

“Why?” Meera looked confused. 

“She just told me she’s pregnant.” 

The shock on Meera’s face was enough to keep Bran from outright laughing at Jojen’s reaction, maybe it was the long day but he found the normally quick witted man in such a stoic state to be humorous. After he left Meera turned to Bran.

“Did you know?” 

“Yes, I was the first person to know.” 

“Oh,” she said, before leaning against him on the couch. Silence lapsed between them and Bran looped his arm around her, careful not to irritate his bite mark. This was nice, just the two of them, in relative silence. 

“They’re going to parole him.” 

There was no tone to her words, they were as cold and hard as their implication. Other than telling him the basic facts about what happened she hadn’t spoken of much about it to him. He didn’t ask either as that had been something he’d learned in his delving into research mode a little after Christmas to learn how to best approach their relationship. 

This was something he hadn’t read about. 

“I’m sorry.” He said. 

“I’ve wanted to keep you out of it,” she whispered, “but it’s a dark thing that seems to taint everything I touch, no matter how hard I try to keep it from doing so.” 

Bran gently rubbed her arm, trying to comfort her in the only way he knew how. 

“I just want him to stop ruining the things I love, activities, relationships all of it,” she was crying now. 

Bran hesitated briefly, “do-do you want a hug?” 

She gave a tearful nod, and he enveloped her into his arms. 

“I want a stupid American comidey,” she muttered after a while of them sitting there. 

“I’ll see what I can do,” he said as she pulled away to allow him to get up. 

By the time the movie ended Meera had fallen asleep on Bran’s chest, her curls were tousled over her face in a manner that only endeared her to him further. He was ready to take on the world for her, but he didn’t know how to proceed.

His final thoughts before drifting off to sleep were whether or not he could put up with a lizard lion for its life span or not. 

Theon watched as Bran practically waltzed towards the parking lot to his car, before nodding, “he’s gone.” 

Jon pulled out his tablet and set up a call that was answered by Sansa and their parents. The elder Starks had been doing some wedding planning with their daughter and wanted to be in on this meeting. 

Robb grinned, “now that we’re all here, I’d like everyone to know that Rick came up with a little name for this, we call it operation ‘Breera’. Thoughts and opinions on the couple will be heard now.” 

“She’s really turned him into a risk taker,” Sansa said. 

“I think she rounds him out nicely,” Catelyn joined. 

“She’s kind, caring, funny,” Rickon said. 

“She was willing to hear us out when we had accidently broken them up,” Jon said. 

“He’s willing to go the extra mile for her, and her brother likes him.” Arya said. 

“Does anyone see anything wrong with them as a couple?” Robb asked. 

He was met with a chorus of no’s from those gathered, “Well then how should we proceed?” 

“By not medling,” Theon said, “we got lucky last time that we were the cause of the issue, we shouldn’t push it.” 

“But-” 

“Theon’s right Robb,” Ned said, cutting his son off, “you need to trust that your brother will figure it out sooner rather than later.” He cleared his throat, “There could also be circumstances that you don’t know about that could be holding them back too. My advice is let them be, watch, but let them go at their own pace.” 

“Well you’re no fun,” Rickon muttered, unaware that his parents could hear him. 

“Just remember Rick, we live in the same house as you.” Catelyn reminded him, causing the youngest Stark to wilt. 

“So we all wait until further notice?” Jon asked. 

“I think that would be wise,” Ned said. 

They all reluctantly agreed, telling their parents goodbye before hanging up the call. 

“Now, what’s the real plan?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question 1. Did you like it? Or should I go hide somewhere? Oh wait that's two questions... Everyone gets a A++ and an internet cookie for extra credit if you leave a comment. 
> 
> I just noticed that this is the tenth story in this series... I can't believe it's gone this far, it wouldn't have gotten to this point if people hadn't left kudos and comments. So thank you for reading! You've not only encouraged me to write, but have helped me enhance my skills. Thank you! 
> 
> Now onto the next, it's waiting for me to edit it, or scrap it, don't quite know yet. I make no promises as to when it will be up. :) 
> 
> P.S. anyone have a good name for the Chameleon? I'm stuck on Covie for some odd reason that has nothing to do with the human malwear.

**Author's Note:**

> Proceed to the next chapter :)


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